Games Icon Wants 2026 Event in Christchurch

The opportunity to host
another Commonwealth Games should be a key component of the
rebuild of Christchurch.

A Games icon and former
Vice President of the New Zealand Olympic Committee, Bruce
Ullrich, says, if the Games are to return to New Zealand,
they should be staged in Christchurch.

“If New
Zealand had a chance to bid for the 2026 Commonwealth Games,
it would be the turn of Christchurch,” Bruce Ullrich, who
held the office of Vice Chairman of the 1974 Commonwealth
Games, says.

The four yearly Games usually alternate
between the northern and southern hemisphere and, because
they’re being held on Australia’s Gold Coast in 2018,
they’re likely to return to this part of the world eight
years later.

“I would encourage the New Zealand
Olympic Committee to choose Christchurch when they make
their bid to the Commonwealth Games Federation and for
Government to think positively towards Christchurch when
backing any bid,” he says.

“The venues required
for such as event could be incorporated into the
Christchurch rebuild so don’t become an unnecessary cost
to the city or New Zealand.”

Because of what
they’ve gone through, the people of Christchurch need an
event like this to give them focus and lift their spirits,
Bruce believes.

“It would be a wonderful catalyst
for Christchurch and a chance to rebuild our infrastructure
and facilities.”

He emphasises that Commonwealth
Games in the future need to be scaled down so they can fit
within a country’s budget and, with careful planning,
Christchurch could provide the venues as part of its
redevelopment.

Bruce, a former Chef de Mission
of three New Zealand teams to Olympic and Commonwealth
Games, reminds people that the 1974 Games were probably the
only financially viable Games in the history of the
competition and the same approach and economies of scale
could apply to the 2026 event.

He’d love to be
present 56 years later if the Games were again successfully
staged in
Christchurch.

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